July 8          BIRTHDAYS 1940     Roy Babbington, Bass, b. Kempston, England. 1953     Ignacio Berroa, drums, percussion, b. in Havana, Cuba. Berroa was already 11 years old when be started drum lessons, and by 1970 was performing professionally in Cuba. In 1980, Berroa moved to New York city, and in 1981 was already working with 'Dizzy' Gillespie's quartet. Berroa would go on to spend the next ten years playing in 'Dizzy's' various groups. During his career, Berroa has recorded and performed with artists like Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tito Puente, Chico Buarque, Charlie Haden, Chick Corea, and João Bosco. In 2006, Berroa released his first solo album, "Codes". 1942     Rudy Bullacher, bass/violin, b. Galveston, TX, USA, d. Jan. 11, 2002, né: Rudolph Alfred Bullacher III. Member: The Manny Green Orchestra and The Galveston Beach Band. 1905     Walter Barnes, Leader/clarinet/saxophone, b. Natchez, MS, USA. d. 1940. 1904     Bill Challis, Arranger, b. Wilkes Barre, PA, USA. d. 1994, USA. 1956     Russell Christian, rock vocals. Member group: The Christians Their 1988 single "Harvest For The World" hit No.8 on the UK Charts. 1965     Kevin Clark, trumpet 1928     Norma Donaldson, Singer/actress 1914     Billy Eckstine, Vocals/Leader, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. d. March 8, 1993. né: William Clarence Eckstein. Often considered a ground breaker for black vocalists. He cut a swath through American before Nat "King" Cole came to the scene. He was one of the very first African American matinee idols, singing first with Earl "Fatha" Hines orchestra, then veering off with his own band. Sarah Vaughan was the "girl" singer with his own band, -two extraordinary talented singers. He appeared in several musicals for MGM in the late 1940's and early 1950's. 1961     Andy Fletcher, R&R bass/keyboards. Member: 'Depeche Mode' 1921     Ken Hanna, Trumpet/arranger/leader, b. Baltimore, MD, USA. d. Dec. 10, 1982, El Cajon, California, USA 1970     Beck Hansen, in Los Angeles, CA, USA. vocals. Member group: 'Beck'. 1944     Jaimoe 'Johnny' Johanson, drums. Member: Allman Brothers 1961     Graham Jones, R&R guitar. Member group: Haircut 100 1908     Louis Jordan, Alto Sax/Vocal, b. Brinkley, AK, USA. d. Feb. 4, 1975. né: Louis Thomas Jordan. 1961     Toby Keith, C&W vocals. 1953     Sakari Kukko, saxes, flute, piano, keyboards, vocal, b. Finland. Sakari Kukko was mixing jazz, Finnish folklore and global ethnic influences long before anyone had even thought of the term "world music". He is perhaps best known for his group "Piirpauke". Early in his career, he paid his dues as a side musician on many albums and also played big band music with the 'Ogeli Big Band' and the 'Tapiola Big Band'. In 1974, Kukko was asked to form a group for a jam session. He, bassist Antti Hytti, guitarist Hasse Walli and drummer Jukka Wasama came up with the initial idea for "Piirpauke". "Piirpauke" has since achieved international fame. The group has toured all over the globe appearing in Europe, the Far East, Africa and the American continent. In 1976, these efforts were rewarded with the Georgie Award. Since it's inception, the group has served as a home for almost thirty different musicians; from front-row local jazz and rock musicians to international masters of different ethnic styles and instruments. 'Piirpauke' has released twenty albums. 1935     Steve Lawrence, vocals. né: Sidney Leibowitz. part of the Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme vocal duo - both still very active. 1971     Neil Mavers, drums. Member group: 'The La's' 1912     Johnny Mince, alto and baritone sax, Clarinet, b. Chicago Heights, IL, USA. d. Dec. 23, 1994. né: John Henry Muenzenberger 1964     Eric Mingus, vocals, b. New York, NY, USA 1911     Gertrude Niessen, vocalist, b. New York, NY, USA. USA, d. March 27, 1975. aka: Gertrude Niessen, Neesen, Nielsen. American motion picture actress and singer of the 1930s and 40s. She was in the 1936 edition of Ziegfeld Follies. What a show, the original Cast Included: Fanny Brice (her final Broadway appearance), Bob Hope, Gertrude Niesen, Josephine Baker, Hugh O'Connell, Harriet Hector, Eve Arden, Judy Canova, Cherry & June Preisser, Nicholas Brothers, John Hoysradt & Stan Kavanaugh. It was choreographer George Balanchine's Broadway debut. (Music by Vernon Duke with Ira Gershwin lyrics. Wow! What more could one ask for?) Niessen appeared in the 1937 film 'Top of the Town', starring George Murphy, Hugh Herbert, Gregory Ratoff, and Ella Logan. She was in the Broadway show 'Start Cheering' (1938) with Jimmy Durante, The Three Stooges, Broderick Crawford, Joan Perry, Walter Connolly. In Oct. 1938, she recorded the song "La Conga" with Ernesto Lecuona's Cuban Boys in London, England. Niessen was in 'Rookies On Parade (Republic Pictures 1941), with Bob Crosby. Niessen also appeared in the 1943 show 'This Is The Army'. She appeared in the Broadway musical "Follow The Girls", where she sang what became one of her biggest hits "I Want To Get Married" (1944 music by Phillip Charig with lyric by Dan Shapiro and Milton Pascal). In 1946, she appeared on the Philco Radio program starring Bing Crosby. She also appeared on other radio shows including 'Duffy's Tavern'. ("Hello, Duffy's Tavern, Archie the manager speaking, Duffy ain't here.") Among her hit recordings were "Where Are You", and "Legalize My Name", music Harold Arlen, lyric Johnny Mercer. Gertrude is buried in Forest Lawn, Glendale, CA. USA. 1948     Raffi, Folksinger/composer of songs for children, b. Cairo, Egypt. né: Raffi Cavoukian. 1900     Archie Robinson, bandleader, b. London, England, UK, d. January 16, 1961, London, England, UK. (pneumonia) 1892     J(oseph) Russel Robinson, Piano/Composer, b. Indianapolis, IN, d. Sept. 30, 1963. Palm Desert, CA USA. Yes. One "l" in Russel. From 1917 to 1925, he made player piano rolls for the Imperial Player Rolls Company. He was called "The White Boy with the Colored Fingers." 1933     Ron Rubin, Piano/Bass, b. Liverpool, England. 1908     Andy Russo, trombone, b. New York ( Brooklyn), NY, USA, d. Sept. 16, 1958, San Diego, CA, USA. 1948     Lembit Saarsalu, Saxophone/composer, b. Roosna-Alliku, Estonia. 1872     Harry Von Tilzer, composer, b. Detroit, MI, d. Jan. 10, 1946, New York, NY 1932     Jerry Vale, vocals, né: Genaro Louis Vitaliano 1977     Tavis Werts, rock guitar. Member group: Reel Big Fish. 1945     Ricky Wolf, Member group: The Flowerpot Men In 1967, their single "Let's Go To San Francisco" hit No.4 on the UK charts. 1970     Drew Womack, C&W vocals Member group: 'Sons of the Desert'.          Notable Events on this date include: 1907.    Florenz Ziegfeld's very first 'Ziegfeld Follies' staged at the roof garden of the New York Theatre. 1955.    When John McElroy was arrested in Miami, Florida for appearing completely naked in public, he told police that he had disrobed because he had been wearing a prison uniform that was 'too conspicuous!' 1971.    Charlie Shavers, trumpet, arranger, died in New York, NY, USA. (b. Aug. 3, 1917 in New York, NY, USA) 1979.    Charles Kynard, organ died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. (b. Feb. 20, 1933, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) 2002.    Bobby "Knuckles" Peterson, piano, trumpet, flute, sax died in St.Louis Park, MN, USA (Cardiac Arrest).          Songs Recorded/Released this date include:       1912    "Be My Little Bumble Bee", - Ada Jones and Billy Murray vocals.       1912    "Frolic Of The Coons", - Fred van Epps       1912    "Maurice Tango", - Fran Van Epps       1915    "Downhome Rag", - The Six Brown Brothers (Sax. Sextet)       1916    "Bantam One Step", - Conway's Band.       1925    "Lonesome", - Ted Weems Orch.       1931    "It's The Girl", - Dorsey Bros. Orch., and the Boswell Sisters voc.       1932    "As You Desire Me", Arthur Tracey voc. ("The Street Singer")       1935    "Sweet", - Pinky Tomlin voc.       1936    "Just A Crazy Song", - Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Tap dancing and vocal.       1938    "Rootin' Tootin' Boys Down By The Old Mill Stream", - Frank Novak and his Boys       1942    "When The Lights Go On Again", - Vaughn Monroe Orch.       1943    "It's Always You", - Tommy Dorsey       1947    "Sauerkraut", - Babe Wagner's Dutchmen       1949    "Maybe It's Because", - Dick Haymes       1949    "Room Full Of Roses", - Dick Haymes       1957    "Short Fat Fannie", - Larry Williams       1967    "Carrie-Anne", - The Hollies       1972    "Hold Your Head Up", - Argent       1972    "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)", - The Hollies       1972    "Coconut", - Nilsson       1978    "Three Times A Lady", - The Commodores       1978    "Hot Blooded", - Foreigner       1978    "Copacabana (At The Copa)", - Barry Manilow       1989    "Cold Hearted", - Paula Abdul       1989    "End Of The Innocence, The", - Don Henley       1989    "Friends", - Jody Watley